LAS CRUCES – New Mexico State softball head coach Kathy Rodolph unveiled the 2018 softball schedule on Monday. This season Rodolph looks to challenge her squad with a demanding schedule as the team looks to claim its fourth-straight Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship and third WAC Tournament title in the past four years.

The 2018 slate features 51 regular-season contests with 17 games against Power 5 conference opponents. The Aggies are also set to take on seven teams that went on to play in last year’s NCAA Tournament including Women’s College World Series semifinalists Washington and the two-time defending national champions Oklahoma.

“Every year I try to play a tough nonconference schedule to prepare our team for battle during conference play,” Rodolph said in a press release. “This year is no different. We have a talented young group of Aggies ready to leave it all on the field. We hope to see everyone at the diamond.”

NMSU opens the season against Southeastern Conference powerhouse Kentucky at the NMSU Softball Complex from Feb. 10-11. The Wildcats posted a 39-19 record in 2017 which included a trip to the NCAA Super Regionals.

The Aggies remain at home for their next set of contests as they host the annual Troy Cox Classic from Feb. 16-18. Boston University, Ball State and the two-time defending national champions Oklahoma are set to take the field at the tournament. NMSU plays the Sooners and Terriers twice while facing the Cardinals once.

Following the Troy Cox Classic, New Mexico State travels to UTEP for the first installment of the Battle of I-10 on Feb. 20. The Aggies return to El Paso from Feb 23-25 for a tournament where NMSU takes on Portland State and Idaho State.

The Aggies head to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Big 12 conference foe Texas Tech on Feb. 27. The NMSU squad remains on the road as the team travels to Tempe, Ariz., to participate in a tournament hosted by Arizona State on March 2-4. The Aggies face Coastal Carolina three times while taking on the Sun Devils once.

New Mexico State continues its 2018 campaign with a tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 8-10, where the team takes on Portland State, DePaul, Washington and host UNLV. On March 16-17, New Mexico State welcomes Minnesota for a three-game series. The Golden Gophers come into the 2018 campaign after posting 56-5 record in 2017. The series serves as a homecoming for Minnesota assistant coach Cat Heifner, who previously served as Rodolph’s associate head coach for 14 seasons.

WAC play opens for the Aggies with a series at Missouri-Kansas City from March 30-31. The Aggies return home following the road trip with a contest against New Mexico on April 3.

The Aggies complete the regular season with a doubleheader at home against Arizona State on May 1.